Hawaii salvage title cars are vehicles that have sustained enough damage to be considered as a total loss. The state’s Department of Transportation (HI DOT) currently does not issue a salvage title for motor vehicles, but advises owners to junk their vehicles or rebuild them to a condition when they can be deemed roadworthy again. However, motorists are encouraged to first discover what a salvage vehicle is and how they can apply for a corresponding title in their county of residence, if possible.

Car owners may obtain a rebuilt salvage title when their vehicles have been damaged and declared a total loss. On the other hand, this certificate allows for these cars to be rebuilt, restoring them to roadworthiness. To discover more information about when and how an HI salvage certificate of title may be obtained in the state, continue reading the sections below.

What is a Hawaii salvage title?

As a general rule, a Hawaii salvage title certificate provides legal proof of ownership to motorists who own vehicles that have been declared as a total loss. A car salvage or total loss classification is typically given to vehicles that have sustained enough damages to their structures, systems or external frames.

On the other hand, HI does not have statewide guidelines or requirements for services related to titling procedures. Thus, vehicle owners who want to learn more details about salvage title cars may contact a local HI DOT branch in their county of residence, such as the Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai and Maui counties.

Hawaii Salvage Title Eligibility Requirements

In order to obtain a Hawaii salvage certificate of title, vehicle owners may be mandated to satisfy certain eligibility requirements beforehand. However, the eligibility criteria may vary depending on your HI county and on the damages made to your vehicle.

In addition, these requirements may differ depending on whether you are retaining the ownership of your vehicle or are assigning it to an insurance company. Therefore, owners of salvage title cars are recommended to first find out more information about their specific situation, so that they know which eligibility criteria to satisfy.

In any case, vehicle owners are allowed to rebuild a car salvage after conducting the necessary inspection procedure. A salvage vehicle inspection must be conducted as part of the requirements for this type of credential, as the damages made to the vehicle will be properly assessed.

How to Get a Salvage Title in Hawaii

The process of getting a salvage title in Hawaii is generally the same for all vehicle owners in all four counties in the state. After satisfying the eligibility requirements that are specific to each county, motorists may begin the application procedure. It is important to note that salvage title cars may be junked or disposed, depending on the HI county and its regulations. In order to get a salvage certificate of title, motorists need to do the following:

• Visit a local HI DOT office in Hawaii, Honolulu, Maui or Kauai.
• Contact a Repair Salvage Dealer (RDS) to repair the motor vehicle.
• Have the vehicle
• Provide the required salvage title
• Submit payment for the applicable fees.

Vehicle owners must note that, in addition to this car salvage procedure, they may have to satisfy other requirements in situations when they want to junk or dispose of their motor vehicles.

Salvage Car Inspections in Hawaii

One of the requirements that vehicle owners need to satisfy when applying for a Hawaii salvage certificate of title is to have their motor vehicles inspected. First, car owners must conduct a salvage vehicle inspection in order to be able to rebuild them. That is because the Hawaii DOT requires vehicle owners to contact a Repair Salvage Dealer (RDS) and to conduct an approved RDS inspection.

Generally, this type of inspection is only for salvaged and rebuilt titles, and it must be conducted by an RDS because motorists are not allowed to repair motor vehicles on their own. Therefore, the RDS will serve vehicle owners not only for conducting an inspection, but also for repairing of their HI salvage title vehicles.

Note: Most RDS locations do not specialize in motorcycle repairs. However, some of them may repair motorbikes, if necessary.

Hawaii Salvage Title Fees

The last step in the Hawaii salvage title application procedure requires vehicle owners to submit payment for the applicable fees. Motorists need to submit the mandatory payment for a salvage title value, as well as the imposed car registration cost.

The fees for titling and registering a salvage or rebuilt motor vehicle are the same as for a standard vehicle. However, the cost may vary from one county to another. Furthermore, each county HI DOT office may require a different sum of money for the procedure. Therefore, prior to paying the salvage title and registration fees, vehicle owners need to discover the applicable fees.

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